Once More, With Strangeness

Chapter 4

 Becca was apprehensive as they approached the apartment building where Robin and Ivy now resided. They had moved in here about four months ago. Ivy had gotten a job at the Hawkins library, which was in a temporary location as they worked on rebuilding. It was supposed to be done by the summer. Ivy absolutely loved her work. Well, Becca assumed she did because they hadn't talked much about it but she knew Ivy's love of books. She could just picture her blissfully elated among thousands of books, guiding people to their perfect read and helping kids with their research.

Just another way that Becca had been a horrible friend these last months. Her best friend, the person who had been there for her any time she needed without pause, she had failed her so badly. She'd had all these amazing and exciting life changes lately and Becca hadn't been there to enjoy them with her or even asked her about them.

Becca's nerves were jumping like crazy at the thought of sharing this information with others but she knew Dustin was right. It was smart to let someone know what was going on so they didn't just disappear off the face of the earth. But hadn't Ivy just commented that she needed to try to move on? What if she tried to talk her out of this?

"You ready?" Dustin asked, glancing from the apartment building to Becca.

"Yeah," she replied but no, she was not. She missed feeling like she could share everything with Ivy. A lot of their distance was Becca's fault and she knew it. She hated what she had become over the last six months. This pain was all she knew and she couldn't get past it to find the Becca she had been before Eddie.

What she had with Eddie was a once in a lifetime thing. How was she supposed to go on knowing she would never again feel the way she did when she was with him? How was she supposed to be the Becca before when she knew how amazing it was to be the Becca that existed with Eddie? She couldn't and because of that, she'd lost all of the most important people in her life except for the curly haired cutie beside her. Their shared pain had bonded them and he had become indispensable to her in such a short time.

Dustin pressed the buzzer for their apartment and they stood there, silently waiting. Becca had a strong urge to flee. If she ran off, then she wouldn't have to face two people who had been so kind to her and received nothing but bitchiness in return.

"Yeah?" came Robin's voice through the speaker.

"Hey, it's Dustin and Becca," he answered. "Can we come up?"
"Of course!" she exclaimed, sounding both shocked and excited. "Hang on. I'll buzz you in."

The buzzer sounded and Dustin grabbed the door, opening it up. They walked up the two flights of stairs to their apartment door. Becca had only been here once. Ivy had begged her to come to their apartment warming party but she had bailed. One, she hadn't wanted to see some of the people coming. Two, she hadn't been capable of being around all that fun and positivity and joy. Any time she found herself smiling or enjoying herself, even for a moment, guilt swept through her knowing that Eddie was somewhere suffering. She had stopped over a few days after that with a plant but it had been uncomfortable and tense and she hadn't been back. It was just too hard.

The door swung open and Robin stood there, beaming from ear to ear. She pulled each of them into a hug and gestured for them to come in. Becca walked in, taking in the space around her. They had done a lot since the last time she had been here. There was fresh paint on the walls. It had been a dull brown before and was now a soft, calming blue. It was a nice place. Two bedrooms, a large living space, a bathroom, and a kitchen with an island and plenty of counter space. They had put up a Christmas tree in the corner and Becca felt a pang at the sight. She had completely forgotten that it was close to Christmas. It didn't really matter considering she had nothing worth celebrating.